


Runaway

by Johncowdrey



Category: Endeavour (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-04
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:40:21
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 12,527
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26813770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Johncowdrey/pseuds/Johncowdrey
Summary: A.U. for Joan leaving Oxford, what she does, what happens to her, why she comes back.
Relationships: Endeavour Morse/Joan Thursday
Comments: 26
Kudos: 15





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Written in narrative from Joan's point of view

RUNAWAY (a re- telling of Joan’s flight to Leamington) PART 1  
Prologue:  
For a very pretty girl Joan never had an awful lot to do with boys or young  
men. She did have a brief dalliance with the Assistant manager, Mr Ronald  
Gidderstone as he liked to be called, the attraction was pretty much one  
sided, and when a very drunk Ronnie tried it on a bit too vigorously, for   
Joan’s liking, at the Wessex bank’s annual Christmas party, that was  
the end of that.  
Joan did have a big crush on Endeavour Morse, her father’s bagman or  
right hand man, but she wasn’t sure if it was reciprocated.  
At her parent’s 25th wedding anniversary party, which she helped to  
arrange, she sat on her own, and spent the whole evening waiting for him  
to show up, when he finally arrived back at the house, she asked him to  
dance, and then went to get him a drink. When she got back, he was gone  
........again. Without even saying good bye.  
Joan had always prized her virginity, and planned to give it to her husband  
on their Wedding Night, which she thought at one point might be Morse.  
(an unfashionable idea in the mid ‘60’s).  
However, Joan was in no hurry to get married. After Morse had failed to  
take an interest in her, she decided to sow a few wild oats.  
Paul Marlock  
Shirley Truelove thought him “eminently resistible” but it seems Joan did  
not agree. Joan liked him a lot, he was funny, quick witted, not bad looking  
and he obviously cared about her, (unlike the very handsome, aloof and  
formal Mr Morse.)  
How could she possibly take him home to meet her parents? let alone  
marry him! Paul was a bingo caller of all things, but Paul could be very  
charming, and plausible to an unsuspecting girl like Joan. That’s how he  
managed to seduce, and subsequently blackmail her.  
Paul phoned up one night, while the Thursdays were having dinner and  
invited Joan to a private party at the Starlight bingo hall where he worked.  
Joan made her excuses to her parents after dinner that she had to visit a  
sick friend. (her dad had always been strict about her comings and goings,  
even at her age of 25.)  
The bingo hall was packed and despite what Paul had told her, there  
was no sign of Gillian her fellow cashier. Her fellow guests looked quite  
rough, not really her sort at all, but Paul was there being his usual attentive  
self and he plied her with drinks, and canapés, and generally made a fuss  
of her. They only had a few dances, as Paul had no sense of rhythm, and it  
was quite embarrassing to watch him gyrate round the dance floor.  
A little bit like her old flame Peter Jakes, Joan thought to herself. It was  
while they were sitting down, talking to Colin Matthews and his wife, that  
Joan began to feel ill. She asked if someone could give her a lift home, but  
Vera had a better idea, Joan could use the bed upstairs, and if she still felt  
bad in an hour, she would take her home herself.  
Joan readily agreed, as she did not want her dad to see her in this state,  
and as soon as her head had hit the pillow, she was asleep, dreaming  
strange, weirdly erotic dreams.  
The next morning, she woke up naked in bed, beside an equally naked  
Paul Marlock, who sheepishly tried to deny anything had happened, but  
Joan knew that her days of being a virgin were over, as the state of the bed  
sheets could testify. Matthews then made an appearance, brandishing six  
pornographic Polaroid photos of the couple, and told her in no uncertain  
terms, that unless she told him everything she knew about security at the  
Wessex Bank, the photos would be distributed to her friends, family and  
employer. Terrified of the consequences, Joan complied completely. When  
he had finished interrogating her he gave her three of the photo’s back, he  
intended holding on to the others “just in case”, and leeringly gave her £50   
(About £ 650 today) for “unforeseen medical expenses,” and on leaving, he  
said he hoped that she had an enjoyable night, as he was sure Paul had.  
The next day was Saturday, and Joan was not on duty that day, so she  
went home, and managed to talk her way out of her Dad’s awkward  
questions by playing “the good Samaritan card”.  
On the following Wednesday her period was due, and as she was always  
very regular she began to worry when nothing happened.  
Joan decided to discreetly bank the £50 note, and she hoped and  
prayed that it was genuine currency.  
Worrying about her periods made her completely forget about the  
information she had provided to Matthews.  
“DON’T MOVE”, when one of the robbers shouted this out after barging   
through the double doors, she was paralysed with fear like everyone else,  
and completely unprepared for what happened.  
The Robbery  
It slowly dawned on Joan, that this could all be her doing, and when her ex-  
boyfriend was dying at her knees; her grief knew no bounds. If it wasn’t for   
Morse, she knew she would never have survived that madcap chase  
through the bowels of the bank. She was sure her lungs would have  
exploded with the sheer terror she felt. During a break in the threats,  
violence and general hysteria, Morse reminded her once again that Marlock  
was no good, and she could do a lot better than him elsewhere.  
Yes, I could you idiot, and it would have been you, if either of us had had  
the gumption to speak up, but it was too late now she thought sadly, with a  
few odd tears in her eyes.  
Once outside in the courtyard, Morse took an insane risk to save her, and  
her father, who, in a frenzy of bloodlust was within an ace of assassinating   
Colin Matthews where he lay. If it had not been for Morse talking him out of  
it, the consequences would have been unthinkable.   
Joan was in a state of trauma, but when she heard Jim Strange whisper to  
her dad that a police officer had been shot dead in the street, and Paul  
Marlock, the father of her child, was being arrested, charged with murder,  
her life rapidly descended into a horror story. Not the funny sort made by  
Emile Valdamar, but the sort that led to a serious mental breakdown, and   
being incarcerated in a grim institution for years, possibly in a straight  
jacket. Joan’s brain was unable to deal with this living nightmare, and  
so, it didn’t, and she collapsed unconscious at their feet. Fred called an  
ambulance to take her to hospital.  
Joan spent a week in hospital, gradually recovering, until her Doctor  
thought she was finally well enough to go home.  
Joan knew she had to leave home to deal with her demons, she knew  
she could not bear to see the look in her father’s eyes when he found out  
his favourite child was going to have a murderer’s baby.  
Joan had an early night to prepare herself for her departure very early the  
next morning.  
An Unexpected Visitor  
However, while she is reading a magazine, her Mum had called up to say   
Morse was here, and wanted to have a word with her. Morse had heard  
from Fred that Joan had returned home from hospital and although his  
timing could have been better, he had to get his feelings for her off his  
chest. Morse apologised for disturbing her, when he politely entered her  
bedroom after her Mum. They kissed each other on the cheeks like long  
lost friends, and they were obviously extremely happy to see each  
other. At this point Mum diplomatically left, to give them some privacy.  
He starts off by reminding her that sometime she is going to have to make   
a statement, and attend an I.D. parade, also the Serious Crime Squad   
would want to talk to her about the gossip regarding her friendship with  
Paul Marlock. He goes on to explain that he would do anything to spare her  
this, but he can’t. He then explains his feelings for her very eloquently, and  
carries on by requesting that when this business is all over can we start  
seeing each other with a view to possibly getting engaged?  
Joan feels it was very beautiful what he said, and also very Morse. She  
answers the only way she can, that if only he said these things a month  
ago, her answer would have been very different, but as it is, she has to say  
no.  
Morse, of course, gets very flustered and offers her his profound apologies  
for bothering her when she is unwell, and he offers her his best wishes on  
her new relationship, and hopes everything goes well for them in the future.  
After Morse rushes off, Joan realises two things, one that Morse thinks she  
has a new bloke, and two that if the Serious Crime Squad want to see her,   
she really must go and soon!   
Leaving  
Joan has a very disturbed night, which is hardly surprising considering all  
the problems she has, all of which she has chosen to keep to herself.  
She gets up at 4.45a.m, and finishes her packing, making sure she has  
every document, and personal I.D she is likely to need.  
The letter she leaves on the mantel piece is brief, and to the point.

Dear Mum and Dad,  
I have done some terrible things, which it’s best you don’t know about,   
please give my love to Sam, and tell Morse “Maybe another time at  
another place”.   
I will love you all forever,  
Please don’t try to find me,  
Love Joan xxx

Joan then leaves, closing the front door very softly so not to wake up her  
Mum and Dad.  
Joan is weighed down with her suitcase, a satchel bag thrown over her  
shoulder, and her new raincoat over her arm. It is just over a mile to the  
station, and she still feels quite weak from her stay in hospital, when a  
kindly motorist stops to ask if she wants a lift to the station. The car is a  
black mk1 jaguar, and her heart goes in her mouth as she thinks for a  
second, it’s Morse.  
Originally Joan planned to go to London, or may be work a summer season  
in Cornwall, Newquay perhaps, where there are loads of seasonal jobs for  
the asking. Unfortunately, Joan has been unable to face going back to her  
bank to get some cash, and can only afford a ticket to boring Leamington.  
The train is however due in the next half hour. Sitting on the train, Joan   
feels really empowered for the first time in her life, and she can’t wait for  
this adventure in her new life to begin, and to be able to make her own  
mistakes without being judged by her parents, or anybody else.  
END OF PART 1  
To be continued.


	2. Runaway part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joan arrives at her destination, and makes new friends, and gets an interview

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> scene setter , Joan hits the ground running in her new life  
> she does some things she should have done in canon.

RUNAWAY PART 2  
Leamington

It takes about 35 minutes to travel between Oxford and Leamington by rail,   
and Joan is not at all sure she wants to be that near to her family.  
Her dad is likely to have friends and contacts in the local police force, and   
she might well be seen by an acquaintance.  
It is 7.15a.m., when the train pulls into Leamington Spa Station, and Joan  
suddenly thinks of the pandemonium she must be causing at home. Her  
Dad would be running around with his shirt tails hanging out, searching  
high and low for his runaway daughter, and her Mum would be convinced   
that she would be home by 9p.m., after that time, hopefully she would then  
begin to accept that Joan had gone.  
“Thank God I won’t be there to see it.” Joan says to herself.  
Thankfully it’s at the start of the rush hour, and there aren’t too many  
people about, so lugging her suitcase about is not proving much of a  
problem for Joan.  
After depositing her case in the left luggage office, she walks over to the  
information desk to make a few enquiries. Her watch says the time is  
7.30a.m, and Joan is starving, so she goes to look for a “greasy spoon”  
cafe for a fry up.  
Eventually she finds one prosaically called “the hasty tasty”. The food  
however, is fine. It’s time for the waitress to have a break, and so she joins   
Joan for a chat. Unfortunately, she confirms Joan’s fears, that apart from  
the cinema and tea dances at the Lawns social club, the nightlife is virtually  
non-existent, “Everyone goes to Oxford” the waitress tells an incredulous  
Joan.  
Joan has another cup of tea before wandering off to see what the town has   
to offer, “not much” Joan quickly concludes.  
Finally, it’s time for the banks to open, and Joan joins the queue waiting   
outside the Wessex Bank, Leamington Branch.  
She draws out £20 in notes and change, and the cashier is able to confirm  
that there is a branch in Newquay, Cornwall.  
When Joan gets back to the Railway Station, she buys a one-way ticket to  
Newquay, which means she has to go to Paddington station in London and  
then catch the train to Praa sands, and change there for Newquay. Her   
train will be leaving Paddington at 11.45p.m and she will arrive in Newquay at 6.45a.m.

Newquay  
Joan is rudely woken up by a noisy guard telling everyone to  
“all change please” Joan is not in a good mood, as she has a stiff neck, and  
badly feels the need for a hot shower to sort herself out. Once again, she  
leaves her suitcase in the care of the left luggage man and goes in search  
of breakfast. Before breakfast she comes across a municipal swimming  
pool, which also offers a hot shower, towels, soap and shampoo for 7/-,  
and a swim afterwards, you can borrow a costume for free.  
After her swim Joan found a cafe for breakfast, amazingly this was also  
called the “hasty tasty”, it was however very busy, and Joan had to wait a  
while to get served.  
While she waited for Newquay to fully open, she sat on a bench facing the  
sea, reading a guide book she had just bought from a gift shop that   
happened to be open. A young chap in his late teens came up and sat  
beside her and introduced himself as Colin, and he asked her if she had  
just arrived. Joan answered yes, and he advised her to forget about the  
guide book, and go to the Sailors Return pub in Fore street. He went on to  
say that you can find out anything there. Joan asked him if he knew of any  
job’s going and he answered” No, but someone there is bound to know.   
The “Sailors” is going to be open in half an hour and I’ll take you, and  
introduce you to everyone, if you like.”  
Joan replied that was very kind of him, and she really appreciated it. Colin  
told her that seasonal workers looked after each other, and she would   
never be short of friends, or even just someone to talk to. Joan found this   
very reassuring, after the nightmare she had just lived through in her home   
town of Oxford. Perhaps she was starting to make some good decisions  
at last, she thought to herself.  
On the way to the “Sailors”, Colin pointed out places of interest, Discos,   
quiet pubs, noisy pubs, cheap places to eat that sort of thing, and of course  
the best beach to sunbathe, and swim.   
Joan had given a great deal of thought to her pregnancy, and she knew   
that the sooner she did something about it, the easier it would be for her,   
but what to do?  
Joan quite rightly considered that she had been raped, but she was   
determined to remain detached about it, getting emotional and upset would   
solve nothing now. She had made her decision, she could not bear to have   
to have another life on her conscious. So, the first thing to do was to   
register with a G.P., and see what he had to say.

The Sailors Return  
The pub was as Colin had said, crowded even at 11a.m., and he   
introduced her to everyone there. They were all very friendly, some offered   
to buy her a drink, and one or two even asked her for a date, which she  
gracefully refused.  
A girl came in, and Colin called her over to their table, and introduced them   
both. He had to go to work now, he was a driver with a local frozen food   
company, but said he would ask about for her, regarding a job, and see her   
here at 7p.m. tonight, Joan gave him a kiss on the cheek, and said   
goodbye.  
Jenny proved to be very good company and they hit it off from the start.   
Eventually the subject got around to men, and Jenny confessed that she   
had recently had a termination because her then boyfriend, had badly let   
her down. Joan shamefacedly admitted she is in the same boat and went  
on to explain the circumstances. Jenny is shocked by her revelations, and   
asked her how far along she was. Joan replied that it was just about a   
month now. Jenny then tells Joan to wait there, and goes out to use the   
phone box, Joan wonders what is going on.  
Jenny comes back, and asks Joan if she has £50, and tells her she can   
have an appointment at the Clinic for 3.30p.m. this afternoon, that is if she   
wants it. “Assuming everything goes well. you can have the operation  
tomorrow morning.” Joan can’t deny she is tempted, but she has decided to   
have the baby, but she is not sure whether to keep it or have it adopted,   
that is for the future, but in the meantime, she has decided to have some   
fun. Her immediate priority though is finding a bed for the night.

The Willets House  
Before she had left Oxford Joan had made a point of finding out about   
Ronnie’s funeral, and after leaving the pub they found a florist that made   
long distance deliveries. Joan sent a bouquet anonymously to Ronnie’s   
poor Mum, and another to his Funeral Directors, to be placed in the hearse   
with his coffin. Joan felt like a coward, but she knew that if her Mum   
begged her to go home she probably would, and so she got Jenny to  
let her know she was safe and happy, and that Joan would call herself next   
week. Jenny suggested Joan spent the night at her place, she explained it   
was a sort of “rite of passage” to spend at least one night at the Willets   
house, Joan full of curiosity asked what it was like, and Jenny told her to   
wait and see, with a mischievous grin on her face.   
The house was an enormous six-bedroom affair, in a rough housing   
estate. (How Charlie Willets had wangled this off the Council was any body’s guess).  
The front door, and window frames had not had a lick of paint in years, and   
the front garden was like Steptoe’s yard. Jenny banged on the window,   
from where the sounds of bickering, and an overloud T.V. was coming.  
Mr Willets eventually came to the door looking every bit as disreputable as   
Joan was expecting.  
Mr Willets charged Joan 15/- for the night, and that included a clean towel.   
Inside the house was very scruffy but surprisingly very clean. They trooped   
up the fraying stair carpet, and into Jenny’s room, which was a large box   
room, with a bunk bed, Victorian chest of draws, and with a cheap scabby   
art deco style mirror on the wall.  
“I know it’s not much Joan, but you do get tea and toast in the morning”,   
and they both burst out laughing.  
“At the end of the hall is the bathroom, next to us are   
a couple of guys who are Australian backpackers, and at the far end is a   
young couple who keep pretty much to themselves. The ground floor   
belongs to the Willets, which I always give a wide berth.”  
Jenny thought Joan looked pretty much all in, and so she kindly offered to   
go and pick up her suitcase from the Station, before going she told Joan   
the top bunk was hers, and she would bring home fish and chips, for them,   
her treat. After their fish and chips Joan went to bed for a few hours before   
her meeting with Colin.  
Jenny was meeting someone at the Beach Croft bar, and so she went on   
her own. Joan thought the pub was busy earlier, but now it was completely   
rammed, with the added noise of the jukebox belting out “Paint it black”.  
Colin frantically waved to Joan and mouthed “over here”. When she finally   
got through the crowd, Colin made the introductions, and the girl with him   
was called Jill. Jill was a waitress at the Penolver Hotel, which overlooked  
Great Western beach, a very good location. The Hotel had three stars, and   
a very good reputation, always full during the Summer season, with many   
returning guests. Jill told Joan that the owners Ray and Iris Morton were  
looking for someone with a banking or accountancy background they could   
train as an assistant manager. The job also included a nearby studio flat.   
Jill told them she would have applied for the job herself, but she was no   
good with figures. Joan could not believe her luck, when Jill told her she   
had an interview tomorrow at 10a.m. with the Directors, if she wanted it.   
Joan was thrilled and thanked them both profusely, and she then bought a  
round of drinks to celebrate. Two double gin and tonics, and a pint of   
Guinness and cider for Colin, and a promise that if she got the job, they   
would all go out for a Chinese. It had been a really long and emotional   
couple of days for Joan, so after finishing her drink, and thanking Jill again,  
she wearily went back to Chez Willets hoping for a good night’s sleep.  
About 1a.m. all hell broke loose, Mr Willets had caught the two Aussies   
trying to smuggle a couple of girls into their room, and had thrown the four   
of them out onto the street. He would not have minded about the   
Shenanigans the boys had in mind with the girls, if they had paid him the   
30/- he thought they owed him.  
“Never a dull moment in Newquay” said Jenny.  
“I’ll drink to that” said Joan.  
To be continued  
Part 3 To Follow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> things get going in the next chapter  
> hope you enjoyed this chapter  
> any criticism or tips welcome


	3. Runaway part 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Joan has a scare, she gets some good news, she has a great time at work and play  
> Ray comes into her life, she makes an enemy, no abuse or angst just Joan doing a good   
> job and enjoying her self.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> covers roughly the period from Joan leaving to morse appearing at her flat in canon  
> so very little canon, as its all new

Runaway part 3

The interview  
Joan thought she would get up early, to get a shower before her important  
interview. Jenny had warned the hot water could be erratic, as the boiler  
belonged in the Science Museum, and the shower worked by a sixpenny   
slot meter which quite often stole your money. To Joan’s dismay Jenny   
hadn’t got a towelling robe, and Joan had forgotten to bring hers, and so   
she had to make do with a very skimpy bath towel that was given to  
her by Willets when she arrived. Coming out of the shower, half naked, she   
ran straight into a very appreciative Charlie Willets who was taking round   
the tea and toast. He endeavoured to keep her talking, on the pretext  
of apologising for disturbing her and Jenny the night before, while peering   
down at her cleavage, and any other places that he could think of that   
were worth investigating.  
When Joan finally managed to get free of him, and back to the sanctity of   
their shared room, she leaned against the door, and breathlessly told Jenny   
what had happened. Jenny couldn’t stop laughing, but Joan failed to see  
the funny side of this, being a bit more prudish than her friend Jenny, and   
of course, it never happened to Jenny did it?  
When Joan left for her interview, she was certainly dressed to impress. A   
fitted grey business suit, which showed off her trim figure a treat, a white   
blouse, and black court shoes, her hair was in a bun, and she carried a   
brief case which held her C.V., references and diplomas.  
The Hotel certainly had a great location she thought, and the outside was   
spick and span. A Hall Porter in overalls and wellies, was attempting to   
hose the seagull droppings off the large picture windows.   
“Hello Miss, are you here for the Assistant Managers job?”  
Joan answered that she was, and he replied that it was a very friendly   
place to work, and the Boss was a great bloke to work for. He then wished   
her the best of luck.  
Joan felt quite nervous as she waited outside the office, as she really   
wanted this job. As she waited, Jill, who had only just finished serving   
breakfast came up and wished her the best of luck, but qualified that by   
saying   
“But you won’t need it, the boss, Mr Morton is a bit of a ladies man, and you   
look absolutely gorgeous”  
Joan was called in, a short while later, and of course she was asked why   
she left the Bank after almost ten years’ service, and why had she come to   
Newquay? She answered truthfully, but she kept quiet about her   
pregnancy.   
She was complimented on her appearance by Mr Morton, and questions   
were asked, about double entry book-keeping, ledgers, basic Tax law, and   
finally, about the importance of a good filing system. Mrs Morton then took   
her on a Grand Tour of the Hotel, at this point Joan was pretty sure she   
had got the job, and she was also pretty sure Mr Morton was phoning the   
Manager of the Oxford branch of The Wessex Bank about her.   
Joan made sure she asked intelligent questions, and she was very   
impressed with the potential of the Disco, which was open to the public as   
well as the guests.  
“In addition to your main book keeping duties you may be asked to do bar   
work, some waitressing and host events for the guests, full training will be   
given of course”  
Joan replied “of course, I’d be happy to”  
She was bursting with ideas, and suggestions, but she decided to keep   
them mainly to herself, as she thought it could be a mistake to appear too   
pushy to Iris Morton. Last stop was the studio apartment. It was in a   
purpose built block two stories high, hers was on the top floor.  
It had everything she could possibly need, but no cooker, as her meals   
would be taken in the Hotel, it did however have a fridge, coffee making   
facilities, and a toaster. After looking about with a puzzled frown, Joan   
asked about the bed, and Iris pulled down a space saving double bed,   
which Joan thought was a great idea.  
Iris added that there was a large launderette 100 yds away for her laundry,   
clean towels, sheets and pillowcases were provided by the Hotel.  
When they returned to the office, she was greeted by Mr Morton who said,  
“Congratulations Joan, can you start tomorrow? Here’s the keys to the flat,   
you can move in whenever you like, and the salary is £11-10/- per week   
plus, an end of season bonus. The hours are variable 54 hours a week,   
with one day off a week, “by arrangement”  
Joan was thrilled, and signed the contract immediately. She then gave Mr   
Morton a great big hug, which obviously pleased him a great deal, as he   
hugged her right back.  
Joan then went off in search of Jill to give her the good news. A waiter who   
was very nice, and obviously gay, had heard that she might be joining   
them, took her to Jill’s room. After knocking she was told to come in, Colin   
was there rolling up a cigarette, and it was not until she smelt the pungent   
odour that she realised it was dope, Joan took a drag, and immediately   
had a coughing fit, never having smoked cannabis before, and she   
immediately handed the joint back to Colin. She felt embarrassed, but   
neither Colin or Jill seemed to mind. They made arrangements for the   
celebratory Chinese meal, and then Joan left feeling a little bit awkward   
and very square.  
Joan felt so happy moving into her own place at last, it was long overdue,   
much as she loved her parents, she knew she could never go back to living   
with them.

The Surgery  
After unpacking, and before going to the beach, Joan decides to have a   
light lunch, and then register at the nearest Doctor’s surgery.  
The Receptionist registers her, and tells her the Midwife would be available   
shortly. A cheerful young woman in N.H.S overalls came to collect her, and   
take her to the examination room. The midwife tried her best to talk Joan   
into going back home to her parents, but Joan was having none of it.   
Cheryl the midwife gave a big sigh, then asked Joan how this all came   
about, and why was she was here on her own, without a partner.  
Joan told her the absolute truth, and Cheryl was visibly shocked, she said it   
was rape, and a police matter, and she really ought to confide in her   
parents about this.  
Once again Joan was obdurate, and because of patient confidentiality,   
Cheryl could do nothing. Cheryl then took a swab to test for S.T.D and then   
other more routine tests were carried out. Joan was then warned that sex  
was out of the question until the results came back in a week.  
Walking out of the Clinic Joan was mortified at the prospect of having   
caught V.D. and the fact it was through no fault of her own, only made   
things feel worse to her, but again all she could do was wait and see what   
happened.

On the Beach   
Joan fancied a walk, and so she made her way to Fistral Beach which was   
on the other side of Newquay, and was famous for surfing, and the   
Headland Hotel, the oldest and poshest Hotel in Newquay.   
Fistral was also the quietest beach, as well as being the largest in   
Newquay, and probably the whole of Cornwall.  
Joan had her swimming costume on under her dress, and so she was able   
to disrobe with ease.  
To tell the truth she felt incredibly dirty after her swab, and  
so, she went running into the sea in the hope of feeling clean again, after   
her swim. When she came out of the sea, there was a man sitting by her   
spread out towels and beach bag, and it looked as if he was waving at her,   
as she got closer, she could see it was Mr Morton in his running gear.  
“Hello Joan, I passed you in my car a while ago, unfortunately I couldn’t   
stop to offer you a lift, because of the traffic, but I guessed you were   
coming here.”   
“You weren’t following me then? Mr Morton.”  
“Please call me Ray; Of course not, it’s just sheer coincidence that we both   
happened to be coming here”  
Joan decides to have some fun, and asks why he is dressed for a run   
rather than the beach, and where is his towel?  
Ray decides to avoid this tricky question, so he changes the subject,  
and asks her if she has a boyfriend, and he acts surprised when she says,   
“not at the moment, no”.  
Ray then asks Joan about her family, and if this is the first time she has   
been away from home. He reassures her that she can use the phone in his   
office any time she likes, to ring home. He also told her of the high hopes   
he has for her, and that he had plans for the Hotel to stay open until after   
the New Year, and how much he hopes she will stay on as well.  
He tells her about his family, how his dad owned a sweet shop in the high   
street, before winning the jackpot on the football pools, and how his dad   
bought the Penolver when he was 15 years old. The Penolver was pretty   
run down then, but by sheer hard work they got it looking as it did today.   
He went on to tell Joan that he had got married far too young and that his   
marriage now was one of convenience. (he did miss out the bit about his   
wife not understanding him!)  
Joan was also told how much he wanted children someday. Ray’s charm   
offensive just went on and on. Regardless of what Ray Morton thought,   
Joan Thursday was nobody’s fool these days, and she realised Ray was   
hitting on her big time. Perhaps she might be able to turn his very obvious   
attraction for her, to her own advantage?

July, August, September ‘67  
The last week of June started very well for Joan, because after attending   
the Surgery, full of apprehension, Cheryl was able to give her the good   
news, that she was clear of any S.T.D infection, and the other test results   
meant there was no reason why she shouldn’t have a perfectly healthy   
baby. Before leaving, Cheryl reminded Joan she needed to come back   
after missing her third period.  
Joan launched into her new career with gusto. Apart from showing the   
Morton’s that she needed no training where bookkeeping was concerned,   
she talked her Bosses into letting her revamp the Disco so it appealed   
more to young people, who generally bought more expensive drinks, and   
stayed longer. The Disco also opened four times a week now instead of   
two, and soon people were visiting from outlying areas, as its reputation   
rapidly grew.  
Joan also organised beach games for the guests, including a very popular   
once a week cricket match with a neighbouring hotel, and when the   
weather was not so good she taught Ballroom and Latin American dancing   
with the help of one the waiters.  
Her quiz nights were always a laugh, and sometimes vulgar, and could   
often get rowdy, when the guests, after a few drinks disputed the answers,   
and Joan herself was often the butt of some pretty “blue” remarks, but  
she took it all in good fun, and she was always able to give as good as   
she got.  
Joan also proved to be a very quick learner where bar work and silver   
service waiting were concerned, and her cheerful manner made her very   
popular, with the staff and guests.  
Joan was always getting asked out by the younger guests, and sometimes   
she accepted, which was strictly against hotel rules. She just made sure   
she was never caught!   
She was not so popular with Iris who, quickly picked up on the rapidly   
growing attraction between Ray and Joan. She made up her mind that   
when the opportunity arose, she would “regretfully dispense with her   
services.”  
As for Joan’s private life, after she got the all clear from Cheryl, she started   
dating again, which often meant not getting back to the Hotel until   
breakfast, but as there was no Dad to keep an eye on her, that was cool.   
Joan only dated holiday makers for two reasons, one; they had more   
money, and two; they went home after a couple of weeks.  
Joan and Ray became lovers, and she was determined to have her cake   
and eat it, as far as her love life, and career were concerned, and to live   
her life to the full.  
On a night that Joan was off there was a bad fight at the Disco. If Joan had   
been there the chances are she would have been able to calm things   
down, and defuse the situation, but Iris was out of her depth and she had to   
call the police. One of the boys was badly hurt, and was taken away in an   
ambulance and the other two arrested. As it was very late Iris was asked to   
make a statement at the station the next morning.  
At the police station Iris was asked to go into the interview room, and   
looking about she could not believe her eyes when she saw a poster   
marked “Wanted”. Underneath this was a bad photo fit of Joan Thursday  
with the message that she was urgently required to give evidence   
regarding a serious attempted Bank robbery that included two murders,  
attempted murder and assault.  
As well as giving the police her version of the fight the night before, Iris   
also told them everything she knew about Joan Winifred Thursday and   
where to find her.  
Walking down the high street back to the hotel, Iris smiled smugly, and   
thinks that “everything comes to those who wait”  
To be continued:  
part 4 to follow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading, the next chapter will have plenty of nods to canon  
> but mainly completely new stuff


	4. Runaway part 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> a night at the cinema, a fight, back in Oxford, Morse surprises Joan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a personal opinion of how Joans departure from Oxford could have come about  
> and what happened in her new life. A lot more angst than in chapter 3, and  
> some nods to canon

Runaway Part 4  
October ‘67  
The Victoria  
If there was one thing Joan Thursday hated to miss it was the Friday night  
midnight matinee performance at the Victoria Cinema, which was just off  
Fore Street. The Victoria was a strange mixture of Art Deco, and Art  
Nouveau, it was about 70 years old, and looked it. Joan loved the old  
Cinema, because it reminded her of The Roxy, back in Oxford. (Which  
sadly, was to burn down the following year). Fifteen years ago, Joan was a  
regular at the Roxy’s “Saturday morning picture show”, known to an older  
generation as the “Thru penny Rush”.  
After a busy day at the Hotel, starting off by having a few drinks at the  
“Sailors” with her mates, then a Wimpy and chips at the burger bar, and  
finishing up at The Victoria, was Joan’s idea of a great night out.  
Tonight, Joan had persuaded her boyfriend Ray to come. Although Ray  
was married, their “friendship” was pretty much common knowledge now,  
amongst Joan’s friends. Ray disliked coming to the matinee, because  
Joan’s best friend Jenny was always there, and she teased him mercilessly  
about their age difference, and Joan’s insistence on seeing other guys  
who were always younger, and better looking than Ray, according to Jenny  
at least.  
Joan was particularly looking forward to tonight’s film “The Birds”, as it was  
one of the few Hitchcock films she had never seen. Ray’s night went from  
bad to worse, when some idiot in the balcony spilled ice cold coke all over  
his new suede jacket, and then when he was just getting romantic with  
Joan, a drunk sitting next to him was violently sick, and he had to endure  
the smell for the rest of the evening. Joan accused him of making a fuss  
about nothing, probably because the drunk, who was called Vince, had a  
crush on her, and was always buying her drinks at the pub.  
On their way home Ray is not feeling drunk, but he has drunk more than  
he usually does, and he is not in the best of moods following his  
various aggravations at the cinema, and Jenny goading him, so  
he starts to take it out on Joan, by needling her about other guys  
she may have gone out with, then he stupidly calls her a tart,  
and when he refuses to apologise to her, (Joan who can have a  
quick temper), rapidly starts to lose it.  
“How dare you, you’re cheating on your wife, and you call me a tart, you’re  
the one that has broken their wedding vows, not me.”  
Joan goes on to say,  
“If we went out more often, to the Cabaret Club, or the Coral Disco for  
instance, instead of hiding away in my flat, perhaps I wouldn’t feel the  
need for other male company, or are you ashamed of me, your dirty little  
secret, that you hide away from your posh friends at the Masonic Lodge,  
where you always take your wife on “Ladies Nights.” All I am good for is  
bed and the pictures. Isn’t that right Ray.”  
“Do you know why I never take you to those places? It’s because the  
dresses you wear hardly cover your arse, and the tops you wear hardly  
cover your tits, and I’d have to spend the night watching you being ogled at  
by randy teenagers, and dirty old men, while you’re off dancing with anyone  
you think may have a hard on.”  
“Or is the problem Ray, you think you are not man enough for me, maybe I  
should find someone who is, anyone you can recommend?”  
Joan says sassily, with her hands on her hips and a lascivious grin on her  
face.  
Ray’s temper is something Joan has never seen, and it is something he  
has at times struggled to keep under control. Like most people it usually  
surfaces when he feels he has been slighted by someone he loves, and  
jealousy ignites it, into an inferno. At this slur to his manhood, and his pent  
up jealousy over her perceived unfaithfulness, he lashes out in fury.  
Luckily for both of them his wild punches go wide of the mark. If they had  
connected, Joan would have been in hospital and Ray would have been in  
prison.  
Joan however instinctively kicks him in the balls with everything she’s got,  
Ray is reduced to a writhing heap on the floor, screaming in agony.  
Joan quickly realises their fight has attracted a crowd, and the last thing  
she wants is to be involved with the police, and so she races off to the  
safety of her flat. Once inside, Joan locks the door, leans back against it,  
and takes a deep breath.  
“How could I have been so stupid, anything could have happened, I could  
have been arrested, and Dad may have found me, or God forbid I could  
have lost the baby. Now I’ll probably get the sack, and lose the flat, then  
what?”  
Joan suddenly feels very tired, and she realises she’s almost four months  
pregnant, and if their still together, Ray will have to be told soon as the  
bump is starting to show.  
Joan pulls down her bed and cries herself to sleep.  
Its pouring with rain, and Joan can hear a gentle knocking on her door.  
“Who is it?”  
“It’s me Joan, can you open the door please, so we can talk, I promise I  
won’t try and get in”  
Joan cautiously opens the door, and is confronted by a soaking wet Ray,  
rainwater is running down from his hair on to his ruined jacket, and water is  
dripping off his nose.  
The strangest thing is, in his left hand he is carrying a bunch of flowers that  
look almost as sorry for themselves as he does.  
“God knows where he could have got them from at this time of night?”  
thinks a very puzzled Joan.  
Ray then goes into an abject apology that he must have been practising on  
his way to her flat.  
Joan places her forefinger and index finger against his lips, and then kisses  
him gently, and says,  
“You’re soaked, you’d better come in and take those wet clothes off. I’ll  
hang them up, while you’re having a hot shower.”  
While she is saying this Joan is putting the flowers he bought her in a vase.  
After hot chocolate, they fall into bed and sleep like logs, unaware of what  
the morning will bring.  
The next morning at around 6.30a.m. Ray and Joan were fast asleep  
wrapped in each other’s arms, in Joan’s bed when there was a furious  
banging on her front door.  
Ray’s first thought, as he went to hide in the shower room was that Iris had  
hired a private detective to catch him red handed with Joan.  
Joan’s first thought was that it was a jealous former lover, wanting to cause  
trouble.

Fallout  
Joan got out of bed, and after making sure that there was no sign that Ray  
had been here, she put on her dressing gown and opened the door.  
Time stood still for Joan, as right in front of her eyes were Dad and Morse  
standing there, suited and booted, and holding up their warrant cards, as if  
she was a total stranger.  
Joan started to snigger, behind the palm of her hand, at the absurdity of it. 

“This is no joke Miss Thursday, we are here on official business,” said an  
embarrassed Morse.  
“Which is?”  
“Taking you back to Oxford, under arrest, and in handcuffs if necessary”  
said Fred menacingly.  
She was abruptly told to pack an overnight bag, and to get dressed  
immediately. The journey would take 4 hours, so if she needed to use the  
bathroom she had better do it now.  
Joan was shocked at this treatment, by the two men she would once have  
trusted with her life.  
Fred, grim faced led his cowed and ashen faced daughter out to the car  
while Morse stayed behind,  
“Hiding in the shower is not very dignified Mr Morton, I suggest you come  
out so we can talk properly”  
Very sheepishly, Mr Morton, clad only in a pair of rather snug Y-fronts,  
comes out to face Morse.  
“Miss Thursday is being taken to Cowley police station in Oxford. Where  
amongst other things she will be interviewed by Detective Chief  
Superintendent Lockhart of the Serious Crime Squad, with a view to  
possibly charging her with being an accessory to murder and robbery.  
I strongly suggest, if you care for Joan, that you arrange for her to have the  
best possible legal representation for that meeting.”  
With that Morse turns on his heel, and joins the two Thursday’s in the large  
black police car.  
Fred Thursday is sitting in the driver’s seat, silent, implacable, and staring  
straight ahead.  
Joan is sitting directly behind him, red-eyed, tearful, and wondering what  
she has done to be treated like this by her previously doting Dad.  
A few minutes after setting off Joan’s left hand tentatively searches for  
Morse’s right, and soon they are holding hands, and before long Joan’s  
head is resting on his shoulder. Morse then whispers in her ear,  
“Don’t worry; everything is going to be fine, I promise”  
The photograph of Joan, (who was the apple of his eye) has gone from its  
pride of place on the D.I.s desk.  
When news of the photos of Joan and that scumbag Paul Marlock finally  
leaked out from the security conscious S.C.S. (Serious Crime Squad)  
Joan had been gone a couple of days. Joan, who was well known in the  
Cowley nick then suffered a tsunami of vile gossip, vindictive rumour  
mongering and abuse to her previously impeccable character from her  
former friends in the station, and it became all too much for Fred, the once  
top dog at Cowley, maybe not in rank, but certainly in prestige (Mr Bright  
did not come close).  
Fred offered Mr Bright his resignation, because of the disgrace his family  
had bought on the City police force, but it was immediately turned down, on  
the grounds that nothing had been proved, and she had yet to give her side  
of it, and after a long chat Fred went back to work, gritted his teeth, and  
just got on with it.  
Morse had hated this, seeing the family he thought of as his own fall apart.  
One thing he was sure of, was that Miss Thursday would turn out to be  
blameless in all of this.  
The real fallout turned out to be the years it took for Joan and her father to  
reconcile their differences, and rebuild their relationship.  
Guilty or Innocent?  
When Joan arrived at Cowley Police station Louise Marks, the senior  
partner at A. Marks & Co Solicitors was waiting for her. After shaking  
hands, and getting permission, Louise and Joan went into a spare interview  
room to discuss what had happened, and Louise was far from happy at the  
verbal treatment she had received from her father.  
Next Joan had her fingerprints taken, under protest, which made her feel  
like a common criminal.  
It was then on to the Archives, where she successfully identified Cole  
Matthews, his brother and 2 other members of the Matthews’ gang.  
Joan and Louise were finally given tea and biscuits, and the chance to talk  
again, before meeting the formidable D.C.S. Lockhart of the S.C.S.  
Unknown to Joan, Louise and the police officers at Cowley, was the fact  
that Lockhart had been convinced for some time that the only things Joan  
Thursday was guilty of was, stupidity, thoughtlessness, and a touch of  
arrogance, probably due to her good looks, and who her father was.  
Joan’s innocence was confirmed by Cole Matthews’ wife Vera who  
confessed tearfully to her part in the rape and subsequent blackmail,  
after being shown the photos found on Cole Matthews after the robbery.  
Paul Marlock was also interviewed at Parkhurst prison on the Isle of Wight.  
He deeply regretted what happened to her, and he felt deeply ashamed of  
his part in her brutal degradation.  
He was never told about the child.  
Joan was so glad to have Louise by her side when she entered his office.  
Lockhart asked them to sit down, and told her all charges against her were  
to be dropped because of new evidence, proving her innocence. He then  
urged her to consider very seriously bringing a charge of blackmail, rape  
and poisoning by a substance unknown against Cole and Vera Matthews  
and Paul Marlock.  
She took a lot of convincing, but she finally agreed after Louise told her it  
would be for the best. However, Joan never divulged anything about her  
pregnancy.  
Finally, the D.C.S gave her a stern lecture about her absconding, avoiding  
her Civic responsibility, wasting police time, and causing distress to her  
family. He told her he could go on about her behaviour, but he couldn’t be  
bothered to waste his breath on her.  
She was told that before she went home, she would have to provide  
signed detailed statements of her alleged rape and blackmail, and the  
events she remembered on the day of the robbery. And that she would  
almost certainly be required as a witness at The Old Bailey in due course,  
failure to attend would mean a warrant out for your arrest, and a spell in jail  
for Contempt of Court. “You have been warned Miss Thursday.”  
Joan emerged from Lockhart’s office very relieved, and very red faced after  
her dressing down.  
When she had completed comprehensive statements that she should have  
made months ago, she thanked, and embraced Louise Marks for all of  
her help.  
Joan asked Jim Strange if there was a phone she could use.  
“Of course, Joanie” he said while reaching under his desk, and placing it on  
the top. Cupping her hand over the mouthpiece for privacy, she dialled, and  
after waiting she said,  
“Hello Ray, it’s me can you come, and pick me up? You can’t? How the  
hell am I supposed to get home? A family crisis? No Ray, I can’t take a taxi,  
that’s probably two weeks wages. Oh, never mind I’ll sort something out  
for myself.”  
She slams the phone down in a huff.  
Joan feels a tap on her shoulder, its Morse.  
“Excuse me Miss Thursday, I couldn’t help overhearing, but if you’re stuck  
I’d be pleased to help you out.”  
“I wish I could say I couldn’t possibly, but I really am stuck, so thanks very  
much, but you must let me pay for the petrol.”  
“In the circumstances giving you a lift home is the least I could do.”  
After a very terse goodbye with her father, she gives Jim an affectionate  
hug, and a kiss on the cheek, while wishing him, “All the best”.  
Morse then asks her if she’s ready and they set off back to Newquay.  
For half an hour Joan is very pensive, she then turns towards him and  
asks,  
“How did you know where I was?”  
Morse answers “Quite simple really Miss Thursday”  
(Joan interrupts and begs him to call her Joan)  
“as I was saying Joan, we knew you didn’t have much money so we kept  
an eye on your bank account. You drew £20 out in Leamington, and the  
cashier remembered you were interested in knowing if there was a branch  
in Newquay. The Clerk in the ticket office at Leamington corroborated this,  
he remembered you very well buying a ticket to Newquay via Paddington  
and Praa sands.  
In Newquay you met a young chap called Colin, yes? Well he is a lot older  
than he looks, and he’s also an undercover policeman, his job was to keep  
an eye on you as there are still elements of the Matthews’ gang on the  
loose. The reference Morton had asked for confirmed you would be about  
for a while, so we were prepared to wait.”  
(Morse made no mention of Iris)  
“There was I thinking I had been clever, and had covered my tracks, but I  
had left a trail a mile wide, I can’t believe it about Colin though, who would  
have thought it?”  
The journey went on with a stop for petrol at Exeter, and a comfort and  
lunch break at Launceston, which Joan insisted on paying for.  
Morse became worried that Joan had a serious problem on her mind, but  
he decided to wait.  
They arrived back at The Penolver shortly after 5p.m.  
“It’s probably not my place to say Joan, but after hearing that no charges  
were being brought against you, I would have thought you would be  
overjoyed, but you’re not, in fact you look very worried, is there something I  
can help you with?”  
“Not much gets past you does it. The truth is I am going to have a baby in 5  
months’ time. It doesn’t matter who the father is, but it isn’t Ray, and when  
he finds out I am carrying another man’s child he will sack me, and kick me  
out of my lovely little flat.”  
Joan pauses and carries on,  
“I am not so sure about Ray now, I thought he was a really sweet guy, and I  
had hopes of us getting married, once he had finally divorced Iris. I had  
hoped he may have been able to accept my child, as he made a point of  
telling me how much he loved and wanted children when we first met. I saw  
another, darker side to him the other night, when he tried to beat me up  
while in a jealous rage. I know I provoked him, but he was very frightening.  
We made up, and he apologised, but even if he told me he could love my  
baby, I don’t think I could trust him now.”  
“Go back home Joan, your parents will help”  
“Like Dad did this morning you mean, he was a pig to me. While you tried  
to comfort me, he made things worse. I won’t forget that Morse thank you”  
she said giving him a kiss on his cheek.  
“Things are not turning out very well for me, are they?”  
“Perhaps things would turn out better if it was for the two of us”  
Morse pauses  
“Marry me”  
To be continued  
part 5 to follow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hope you enjoyed, as always comments and kudos more than welcome  
> chapter 5 five will be the last chapter  
> thanks for reading


	5. Runaway part 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Parallel universe, who will joan choose and a who dunnit, where does joan go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> all the pubs, clubs , cinema and hotels mentioned here existed in 1967  
> final chapter hope you enoy

Runaway part 5  
October ‘67  
Decisions, decisions  
“Things are not turning out very well for me, are they?”  
“Perhaps things could turn out better for us”  
Morse pauses:  
“Marry me”  
Joan is not sure whether to take his proposal seriously, she turned him   
down about dating, and now he’s asking her to marry him, best to humour   
him, she thinks.   
“What would dad say; I’m not in his best books at the moment you know,   
he’d probably think you could do a lot better than me” Joan says jokingly.  
Morse, not to be deflected, ignores her and ploughs on  
“I’ve been offered a job with the Met, it means more money, and promotion,   
it would be somewhere fresh for both of us, we could make a new start   
together.”  
Joan takes both his hands in hers and says  
“Could you see yourself living in Newquay?”  
Morse shakes his head,  
“Well, I feel the same about London, I don’t want a fresh start, this is my   
home now. Please don’t worry about me I’ll be okay. You know me, I   
always come up smelling of roses”  
Joan pauses:  
“I know you mean well, but I don’t need your pity Morse”  
Joan then asks Morse if he would like to come in for coffee.  
“No thanks, I don’t really care much for coffee, but thank you anyway”  
Morse looks at his watch, and tells Joan he must be going.  
They kiss each other goodbye, and Joan says with tears welling in her   
eyes, as she places a hand on his cheek,  
“Take care of yourself Morse”  
Joan is standing on the forecourt of the Hotel waving him goodbye, and   
thinking how lucky she is to have a friend like him.  
She’s still not certain if she made the right decision, but if he had only told   
her that he loved her, who knows?  
Joan walks up the two flights of steps to her flat, and makes a mental note   
to complain to the maintenance dept. about the missing railings on the   
landing outside her flat, and also the rubbish in the stairwell below, it’s been   
several weeks now and nothing’s been done about it.  
On entering her flat she looks around at the mess, due to her abrupt   
departure this morning, she also notices a gift-wrapped parcel, placed on   
her unmade bed. It has a white envelope tucked inside its gold ribbon.   
The letter read

“My Darling Joan,  
I am so sorry about not picking you up this afternoon, I phoned back, and   
spoke to a Sergeant. who told me you were on your way home, which was a   
relief as I have a lot to talk to you about. To make amends I have booked   
us a table at the Headland Hotel for 8p.m., I know how much you have  
wanted to go there. I will see you at 7.15p.m, at your flat.  
All My Love Ray xxx  
P.S I hope you approve of my peace offering.

Joan gets very excited when she studies the box, it has “Biba of   
Knightsbridge” plainly written in blue italics. Inside there is a beautiful,   
sapphire blue silk trouser suit, with a feather motif. The suit is by her   
favourite designer “Ossie Clark”, and must have cost a fortune.   
Joan had been raving about this particular suit for ages, after seeing it in a   
Biba catalogue. She had thought her very heavy hints had fallen on deaf   
ears, but evidently not. Despite knowing she really should clear her flat up   
first, Joan can’t resist trying it on, even though her tummy is an inch or two   
bigger now, it fits perfectly, and she adores it.  
“Tonight, is going to be crunch night, I have to tell him about the baby, I   
can’t keep it a secret any longer, even if I wanted to. (Joan thinks looking   
down at her tummy). Once he knows it’ll be up to him where we go, if   
anywhere”  
The Headland Hotel  
It was a real rush to get everything done, but she managed it, and by just   
after 7.0p.m. she was checking her make up and looking gorgeous in her   
new outfit.   
Ray arrived promptly at 7.15 in his Tuxedo, looking very pleased with   
himself. Joan grins to herself thinking that he looks more like a bouncer   
than a Bond.  
After thanking and embracing Ray for his wonderful present they set off for   
the Headland Hotel.  
Arriving at the Hotel, she was struck by its opulence and style. The dining   
room would not have looked out of place on board the Titanic, and   
everyone looked very rich and very dressy. Joan could tell they were going   
to be the main topic of conversation for some, as soon as they entered the   
dining room, and followed the Head Waiter to their table.  
Several of Ray’s business and Masonic friends stopped him to say hello on   
some pretext or other, but really wanting to eye up his glamorous   
companion, much to the universal disapproval of their wives.  
After being shown to their table, they sit down and Joan leans over to Ray   
and asks,  
“Are you sure about this? There seems to be a lot of people you know here,   
and most of them seem to be talking about us?”  
“It’s not going to matter soon; I’ve spoken to Iris, and told her I want a   
divorce, and this afternoon I went to see my Solicitor to get the ball rolling,   
that’s why I couldn’t meet you in Oxford at the police station.”  
“So, what does this mean for us Ray?”  
“Well for a start no more nights in your flat, because if we were caught you   
would be cited for adultery, so we have to play it cool for a while, not give   
her any evidence. To be honest though I really don’t know how she will   
react to this.”  
Joan asks Ray how long this divorce is going to take, and he answers   
about a year, if its amicable. Two, if it isn’t.  
They talk some more about the divorce while they are having dinner   
(which Joan was not that impressed with), when she suddenly blurts out,  
“I’m pregnant Ray, four months gone so the baby’s not yours.”  
On hearing this Ray looks like he has been slapped very hard round his   
face, and then he spills his coffee down his new dress shirt, causing an   
attentive waiter to rush over, to try and mop the spillage up, interrupting   
their very private conversation.   
Before Ray can speak Joan implores him,  
“Can I please explain, before you say something, we may both very well   
regret”  
Joan once again gives a full explanation of her once unwanted pregnancy,   
and she also tells him everything that happened at the police station, but   
she omitted to mention Morse’s recent proposal.  
When she had finished explaining, she pauses and says,   
“Look Ray, I know I’m no angel, nor are you, but I love you very much, and   
if you promise to marry me once the divorce comes through, I promise you   
there will never be anyone else in my life. However, the baby is   
unconditional. You either take us both or........I suppose the ball is in your   
court now.”  
Joan hesitates, and says with a twinkle in her eye, and a big grin on her face.  
“Don’t forget Ray, before you answer, there is still a law against breach of   
promise in this country.”  
Ray leans back in his chair, exposing the full extent of the coffee stain on   
his dress shirt. He is confused, and has his hands on his head, he takes a   
deep breath, and then exhales just as deeply,  
“This has all come as a bit of a shock, Paul Marlock the father, I read about   
what he did in the paper, a thoroughly nasty piece of work. I just don’t   
know Joan if I can do this. I am sorry, I realise none of this was your fault,   
but I need to sleep on what you’ve said, before I make up my mind.”  
“You told me on the beach that you love children”  
“I do Joan, but I don’t know if I can love his.”   
Tempers start to rise, and voices are raised attracting the attention of   
nearby diners, and the head waiter, who says they must leave unless they   
lower their voices.  
They then decide to leave after paying the bill. Joan is clearly very upset   
and disappointed after expecting a much more positive answer from him.  
Ray can see how upset she is, but he must have time to think about what   
she has told him.  
On the journey back to the Hotel they are both silent, each was expecting a   
different outcome to the evening. Joan does not invite Ray in for coffee.  
She goes straight to bed and considers her position.  
“What do I really want?”  
After giving it a great deal of thought, she makes her mind up, rolls over   
and goes to sleep as she has work in the morning.  
Joan is really not looking forward to going in today, as Iris is going to be   
there, and Joan is not certain how much she knows, or what sort of mood   
she will be in?  
Joan also plans to make a humiliating phone call before Iris arrives.  
After having a shower and making herself look presentable, she goes to the   
Hotel kitchen to get some breakfast.  
Mr Brook is the only chef now the summer season is over, but he is very   
good at his job, and is also her only neighbour.  
After a hearty breakfast, Joan makes her way to the office to dial a well   
known number,  
“Hi Jim, Joan Thursday here, how are you? Any chance I could speak to   
Morse?”  
“Hello Joan, at the moment he’s in with Mr Bright, the Chief Constable and   
your dad. Rumour has it they are both getting a promotion and a gong each   
from the Queen.”  
“My God, look I’ll phone back in a couple of days okay, when things are not   
so hectic, bye.”  
If it wasn’t Jim Strange she was speaking to, she would have been sure   
that someone was trying to wind her up.   
Just as Joan replaced the receiver, Iris breezed in full of the joys of spring.  
They had been working on the Christmas programme for some time, and it   
was almost complete, and ready for the printers. The acts had all been   
booked, and Mr Booth had agreed his Christmas Fayre menu with Ray and   
Iris.  
Most of the seasonal staff were able to come back for the Christmas week   
at double wages, and everything was looking very positive.  
Iris asked Joan if she would like to go to Truro to the wholesalers, to order   
the tree and decorations that they had agreed on earlier.  
Joan was just in time to catch the bus to Truro. After ordering the various   
decorations, and the large Christmas tree, she used the time to do some   
shopping of her own, and make her weekly phone call to her Mum.  
Her Mum had obviously not heard the good news, so not wishing to spoil   
her surprise, she kept quiet.  
The journey home to Newquay took about forty-five minutes, and the more   
she thought about it the more inexplicable Iris’s behaviour was. Why was   
she so pleasant?  
And why was she sent to Truro when a phone call would do? Not that Joan   
was complaining, it had been a very pleasant day, not what she been   
expecting at all. Having skipped lunch to catch the bus to Truro, Joan  
decided to head to the Kitchen to have an early dinner.  
Her friend Jill was there having had the afternoon off. She looked pretty   
much down in the dumps, so putting her plate down next to Jill’s she asked,

“How are things with you, you don’t look so great”  
“It’s the old story Joan, believing what a man tells you, and then being   
made to look a fool, but I think I may have the last laugh ” Jill says   
bitterly  
Changing the subject Joan goes on to say,  
“Look Jill why don’t we go to the Great Western bar, and have a couple of   
games of bar billiards, you know a girl’s night out, and have a laugh with   
the local yokels. What do you say Jill?”

The Great Western.  
The Great Western is a public bar attached to the Hotel of the same name.   
A public bar is cheaper and scruffier than a saloon or lounge bar, but most   
of its patrons are characters. The pub has a bar billiard table and a juke   
box which has a complete lack of modern hit discs, but a lot of country  
and western records that nobody has ever heard of, or plays.   
During the season hardly any holiday makers go there which suits the   
regulars just fine.  
The two friends set off after dinner, arm in arm, and arguing over who is the   
better bar billiards player. They didn’t have far to go as it was only a couple   
of hundred yards away.   
It is nice and cheery inside, and has a welcoming coal fire in the corner, as   
it’s quite chilly, and the nights are really drawing in now.  
Joan recognises some friends from the Sailors, a couple of chaps from the   
betting shop, and the ubiquitous Mr Willets. While Jill goes to get the   
drinks, two halves of lager, Joan puts a shilling down to join the queue   
of customers waiting for the bar billiard table.  
Perusing the Juke box Joan finds to her disgust there is still no Tamla   
Motown on it. After catching up with some of their friends, it is their turn to   
play billiards, and they are playing doubles against the betting shop boys,  
getting soundly beaten by 3 games to nil.  
After another couple of games, and drinks they have to pay for, they decide   
to call it a night, and head for home. At the hotel they say goodnight and go   
their separate ways.  
Approaching the block where her flat is, she reminded herself how things   
were a couple of months ago. At this time of night there was often a party   
going on playing the sort of music she liked. People she knew, laughing   
and joking, drinking and smoking, always full of life, now it’s like a morgue,   
she sadly thought.  
A Matter of Life and Death  
Christmas is coming; perhaps it will be better then?  
As Joan gets closer, she can see the stairs to her flat are in absolute   
darkness, and suddenly she is filled with a feeling of dread, it’s so strong   
she gives Mr Booth a knock to see if he will escort her to her door, but after   
several loud knocks it’s obvious to her that his flat is empty.  
As she climbs the stairs, the darkness seems to increase and so does her   
sense of foreboding. At last she reaches the flat and her heart is pounding   
so much it is threatening to break free of her chest. She spends a while in   
the inky blackness fumbling with her keys, finally after fearfully looking over   
her shoulder she is able to open the door. Stepping into the blackness of   
her flat Joan is suddenly confronted by a terrifying figure dressed entirely in   
black complete with black ski mask. Before she can scream Joan is   
knocked out by a blow to her head by an unseen weapon. She is vaguely   
aware of being dragged through the door, and tossed into space through   
the gap in the railings and then a sense of falling, and then blackness.  
3 Days  
Joan has been drifting in and out of consciousness, since being found by   
Mr Brook after coming home early from a disastrous all-night poker game.   
Joan was in Fosdick ward Truro General, and sitting beside her, holding   
her hand was her old friend Detective Sergeant Morse (newly promoted).  
“Is my baby all right?” these were the first words Joan had spoken in three   
days,  
“I am very sorry to have to tell you Joan your baby did not survive the fall,   
you had a miscarriage. I have been told there is no reason why your next   
pregnancy should not be successful. Apart from extensive bruising, severe   
concussion and trauma, you are in reasonably good shape, thanks to   
several old mattresses, and empty cardboard boxes in the stairwell,   
breaking your fall.”  
Joan is starting to get very distressed about her loss, and so Morse calls   
over a nurse who administers a sedative, he then kisses Joan on her   
forehead and leaves promising to be back the next day.  
The next day Joan looks better to Morse, and so in answer to her question,   
“Who was it Morse, Iris or Ray?”  
“It was neither, it was Jill Masters, the waitress your so called  
friend, she confessed the same night”  
“She had been having an affair with Morton for a couple of months, and it   
was all about her jealousy of you, being the mother of his child. When you   
told her you were pregnant on the way to the pub she assumed Morton was   
the father. That’s when her thoughts turned from scaring you off, to getting   
rid of your baby. She knew his fingerprints would be all over your flat, plus   
items like razors, toothbrush and spare clothes. His apologetic letter to you,   
arranging dinner at the Headland was quickly found by local police in your   
flat too. You also told Miss Masters about your argument in the restaurant   
about your baby, which got quite loud and heated, and must have been   
heard by nearby diners. We were puzzled about how she managed to get   
into your flat, until we found a key in your purse we couldn’t match. That   
key matched Miss Masters’ room, so we guessed she had a key that fitted   
your lock.”  
“But why was everywhere so dark Morse”  
“Jill took the light bulbs out while you were inTruro. She knew you hated the   
dark so she probably hoped you would be so terrified that in your panic you   
would fall through the gap in the railings without her help.”  
“So, summing up, Jill hatched a plan to cause you to have a miscarriage,   
while implicating Ray Morton, the old story Joan, jealousy and revenge.”  
“One last thing, Morse how did she manage to get passed me, and up the   
stairs without me seeing her?”  
“That was because she guessed correctly that you would be so nervous of   
the dark you would ask Mr Booth for his help, and she slipped passed while   
you were knocking on his door.”  
Morse says it’s time for him to go, and adds,  
“The next time you’re in Oxford, perhaps we could have that coffee, I’ve   
developed a taste for it”.  
Joan smiles and nods her head.  
Going Home  
Joan was discharged a some days later, and she goes back to her flat to   
pack. When she is done, she picks up her wages from the office for the last   
time, and waits for her taxi to the station,  
she buys a one-way ticket to Oxford Central. From there she gets a taxi to   
the Randolph Hotel, the biggest and poshest hotel in Oxford.  
“I’ve come for an interview with regard to the vacancy for an Assistant   
Manager, yes I have experience”  
While Joan waits to be called, she goes to the pay phone and dials a well   
known number.  
“Hello Morse, it’s Joan, about that coffee........  
The End

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks for reading  
> this probably my last fic

**Author's Note:**

> Comments and Kudos would be nice but I wont hold my breath, hope you enjoyed it. Part 2 to follow


End file.
